"It's a great station that's boosted officer's morale, and it's basically in the heart of downtown where a lot of business owners are happy to see us," said Sgt. Kenneth Brown, a police supervisor.

The new substation is up College Avenue, near East Clayton Street and its many bars - an area Brown calls "downtown's South Beach," the epicenter of much late-night chaos.

It replaces the old substation in the Costa Building on East Washington Street, which was out of sight from most bars and clubs, not to mention the thousands of people who flock there each weekend.

"The old station had an Athens-Clarke Police Department sign, but it was small and hard to see, so you probably wouldn't know a police station was there unless you were familiar with the area," Brown said.

"Now you can see the ACCPD sign out front at the new station, and it has more of a friendly, storefront atmosphere," he said.

Unlike the old substation, the new one is staffed with a receptionist, so people can go there to pick up police reports, rather than going to the Lexington Road and Georgia Square Mall precincts.

Brown expects the new station will see brisk walk-in business from people for all sorts of reasons, from reporting crimes to asking for directions.

"When they see that sign, people are more apt to come in and file a report, get a report, or whatever," he said.

Police officials believe the higher visibility of the station will help reduce certain types of crimes, particularly those associated with rowdy late-night partying.

When people see officers going in and out of the station and police cars parked outside, it gives the appearance that more officers are assigned to the area than actually are, police Chief Jack Lumpkin said.

Downtown officers completed their move to the new office late last month, and a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house Tuesday allowed business owners and others to tour the facility and get to meet the officers.